THE Electoral Commission (EC) has set April 5, 2016 for the conduct of a by-election in the Abuakwa North Constituency of the Eastern Region to elect a new Member of Parliament (MP).

The decision follows the gruesome murder of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for the area, Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu.

He was stabbed to death at his Shiashie residence in Accra on February 9, 2016, prompting the police to launch an investigation which led to the arrest of one Daniel Aseidu aka Sexy Don Don and other suspects. He is in court for prosecution.

The by-election will be held in accordance with Article 112 (5) of the Constitution as amended.

Meanwhile, DAILY GUIDE has gathered that even before the EC announced the date for the by-election, some of the constituents had called on the current Eastern Regional 1st Vice Chairman, Alhaji Umar Bodinga, who was the former Vice Chairman of the Abuakwa North Constituency, to contest the seat with Lawyer Amoah Kay. They are among five other candidates who are lacing their boots for the race.

Alhaji Bodinga, when contacted, corroborated the speculation and said he would consider it when the party opened nominations.

The late Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu, affectionately called JB, won the seat in 2004 and 2012.

The Abuakwa North Constituency has been the stronghold of the NPP since the Abuakwa Constituency was split into two for the 2004 elections. The Abuakwa parliamentary seat was previously occupied by the current flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

During the NPP primaries last year June, the late JB Danquah contested and won with 237 votes against his only challenger, Kay Amoah Jnr – a lawyer by profession – who had 117 votes.

However, the Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mark Oliver-Kevor, on Agoo fm – an Nkawkaw-based radio station – suggested that the NPP should have called on other political parties to declare the seat vacant by way of mourning the late JB Danquah so that all the parties could rather contest in the November general election, but since the NPP had decided to contest, the NDC would also put in their parliamentary candidate, in the person of Anthony Gyimah.

Meanwhile, the family of the late JB is yet to announce the date for the final burial rites of their philanthropic relative.